That’s according to journalist Duncan Castles, who believes United are still in need of an ‘experienced top-quality transfer market operator’ to help recruit new signings.

Solskjaer is in need of a major squad revamp at Old Trafford after a disappointing season that saw them finish sixth and miss out on Champions League qualification.

One star who could join them is Lille winger Nicolas Pepe, who is reportedly on the Red Devils’ radar this summer.

Yet, Castles feels United need to hire a director of football with significant transfer-market experience to help bring in the right players.

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“Obviously Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has an input in this process and is being asked who he would like and asked if he approves of deals”

Duncan Castles

He told The Transfer Window podcast: “Manchester United have been briefing that they wanted a director of football for a long time now and have been proposing it as a solution to their problems and as a game-changer for the club in terms of, not just recruitment, but particular in the area of recruitment to make use of the massive financial resources the club generates each year more efficient and get that rebuild done properly this summer.

“They’ve been briefing that, but they haven’t put anyone in place. They’re still talking to candidates now.

“That phone call going into Lille for Nicolas Pepe is being made by one of Ed Woodward’s right-hand man who’s been involved in recruitment for several years now, Matt Judge.

“And essentially, those individuals remain in control of transfers. Obviously Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has an input in this process and is being asked who he would like and asked if he approves of deals, but basically we don’t have that experienced top-quality transfer market operator who you would obviously want to bring into a club like Manchester United because they’ve had such a poor record in the transfer market essentially since Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill left.”

Castles’ comments came after it was claimed:

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is in need of a squad overhaul this summer (Pic: GETTY)

Castles says Ed Woodward has asked him who he wants to sign and if he approves of their targets (Pic: GETTY)

He continued: “You’d want that person there, but they haven’t been interviewing those type of individuals.

“You’ve seen names like Rio Ferdinand mentioned for the job. There’s a sense that they want to employ an individual that has strong Manchester United connections, a former player ideally, who would be a good voice for the club in the media. But not necessarily from the people they’ve been interviewing, individuals who have done this job before.

“That’s gonna make it very difficult for the person coming in. If they decide to appoint a former player with no experience as an executive and no experience of doing deals in the transfer market, it doesn’t mean they’re not capable of doing it. It doesn’t mean they won’t do a good job.

“But it’s gonna be very hard for them coming into a club, a dysfunctional club like Manchester United, with a squad that is in a horrendous mess and needs very aggressive work done on it, to get that right in their first summer, when they’re not even going to be in place I guess at best until the end of May, but even that would require an accelerated employment process.”

United have enquired about the cost of Lille winger Nicolas Pepe, says Castles (Pic: GETTY)

Castles also revealed that United have been in contact with Lille over Pepe, 23, who has developed into one of the most promising young players in European football during his time with the Ligue 1 outfit.

“One of the clubs interested in Pepe, have an expressed an interest to Lille, is Manchester United,” he said.

“I’m told that last week a phone call went in to one of the Lille directors to enquire about the cost of a transfer for Pepe, who’s been outstanding in the French division this year, scoring goals and creating goals with a great deal of pace, actually a very good fit to what Manchester United would need on the right wing, to ask whether he would be available for sale.

“So Manchester United have shown their hand there. They’ve not gone any further. I’m told there’s been no bid and there’s been no further contact with Lille since that enquiry.”